FATAL FALL OFF TRAMCAR

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 306, 20 September 1921, Page 7

FATAL FALL OFF TRAMCAR

DEATH FROM FRACTURED SKULL. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon by Mr. F. K. Hunt S.M., into tho circumstances causing the death of John Tattersail, a labourer, 38 years of age, who fell off a moving tramcar near Mersey . Street, Island Bay, on Thursday evening last. Senior Sergeant Lander appeared for tho police and Mr. J. O Shea for tlie City Corporation. Dr. Hutchinson, housa surgeon, at the Wellington Hospital, said *4hat tho injured man was brought to the Hospital about 7.30 p.m. He was then dead, but had only just died. The front of his skull was fractured, as was also tho base. Death was due to tho fracture. James A. Dotchin, motorman, said ho was 'driving a car on the Thursday afternoon He left Lambton Station at 6.11 p.m. for Island Bay, and proceeded as far as Cromwell Street without incident. His next stop was at Mersey Street, and when three-quarters of the way to this stop he received an ordinary stop signal repeated Several times, which he took to mean that he was to stop at Mersey Street. When ho did stop, somebody told Rim that there had been an accident. He drove tlio car back about W yards stopped the car and got off, when he saw a man lying on the ground. I hat was about halfway between tho stops. Tho man was lying on his stomach and his face was to the side. He appeared to be very seriously injured. Witness ran tho ear hack to a telephone box and telephoned for the Hospital Ambulance. The car was travelling about 20 miles per hour between the stops. J Pearcy, conductor of tho car, said that after leaving Cornwall Street several passengers gave the signal to stop at the next stopping place, and he. remonstrated with some of them for ringing tho bell so frequently. He was then told 'that a man had fallen off. By. thia time the car had stopped at Mersey Street The rest of this witness s evidence ’ corroborated that given by tho motorman. Witness said that if Tattersail had followed his usual custom ha would have got out at Mersey Street Cornelius Donovan, barman at the Royal Oak Hotel, who was on the tramcar said that he noticed Tattersail in the’car. Ho thought tho man was slightly under tho influence of liquor, for ho was talking to liimsolf and to those around him. After leaving the Cornwall Street stop witness noticed that several passengers pulled tho bell cord at the same time. He also noticed that the seat occupied by Tattersail was empty, and concluded that something had happened. He did not see the man fall off tho car. F. H. Perry, painter and paperlianger, said that he saw Tattersall in the car on the date in question. "When halfway between tho Cornwall Street and Mersey Street stops witness saw Tattersall suddenly get up, turn around and jump off the car. Witness thought the man had had a "spot” or two. Mr. J. O’Shea stated that after. the accident had occurred a tramway official was instructed to stand by the injured man. Senior Sergeant Lander said that everything possible was done for the man. Tho Coroner found that death was caused' by fracture of tho skull, tho result of a fall from a tramcar.